Energy, action and quirky plots as finalists announced

The wait is over! Finalists for the Ronald Hugh Morrieson Writing Awards, Taranaki’s premiere literary competition, have been announced.

The bumper 237 entries have kept this year’s judges busy since the competition closed in August.

There are five categories in the Awards; The Secondary School Poetry and Short Story categories, the Open section Poetry and Short Story categories and the Secondary School Research Article category.

Research Article judge, Matt Rilkoff, says this year’s entries demonstrate how many fascinating people live among us.

“It is a courageous thing to allow someone into your trust to tell such a personal story as that of your life. Just as it is a daunting responsibility for the writer to attempt to sum up a lifetime of experience and character in a handful of words,” he says. “You all deserve a round of applause.”

Short Story judge, Rachel Stedman, says there was a lot of energy, and in general, action seemed to be central to many entrant’s plots.

“I was really impressed at how the high school entrants managed to write from such diverse perspectives, and I really enjoyed the quirky plots of some of the school entries,” she says. “In the open section, I enjoyed the vernacular used – very rural kiwi, very RHM!”

Poetry judge, Apirana Taylor, congratulated every entrant.

“Poetry reaches beyond the mere bread and butter of our existence. It casts the poignant light of insight onto the human condition. It seeks to and raises our consciousness,” he says.

The Awards ceremony is being held at the TSB Hub in Hawera on 25 Octoberfrom 7pm. All are welcome to attend to find out the winners and listen to a performance by Apirana Taylor, this year’s Poetry judge.

Secondary School finalists (all categories)

Denzal Adlam - Patea Area School

Hope Baker - St Mary’s Diocesan School

Nell Brown - Sacred Heart Girls’ College

Niall Clancy - Hawera High School

Maddison Cossey - Hawera High School

Puaawai Meihana Eiffe - Opunake High School

Sasha Finer - Hawera High School

Ashley Harrop - Opunake High School

Courtney Hatcher - St Mary’s Diocesan

Noah Hunt - Hawera High School

Megan Jackson - St Mary’s Diocesan School

Stevee-Jai Kelly - Opunake High School

Myah Kemsley - New Plymouth Girls’ High

Heather Phillips - Hawera High School

Yani Remoto - Hawera High School

Georgia Sparks - Hawera High School

Open Finalists (all categories)

Elizabeth Bridgeman - New Plymouth

Nell Brown - Sacred Heart Girls’ College

Emma Collins - Stratford

Maria Cunningham - Hawera

Anya Darling - Sacred Heart Girls’ College

Bruce Finer - Hawera

Stuart Greenhill - Stratford

Pip Harrison - Hawera

Janet Hunt – Inglewood

ENDS

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